Get involved
Getting involved means helping us to develop services that meet the needs of the people we care for. We are keen to involve as many people as possible in the work of the Trust, including patients, carers and our local community.
Join our Lived Experience Network
Our Lived Experience Network is a growing group of more than 300 people who all have lived experience of accessing our services or caring for a relative or friend who has, within the last five years. Our members all have their own reasons for joining the network, including a passion to use their experiences to improve services for others.
Our members working alongside staff on:
- Interview panels to recruit new staff
- Staff training
- Inspections of services
- Forums for people with lived experience of services
- Project and focus groups
- Developing patient and carer information
- Committee and governance meetings
- Judging panels for awards and staff recognition schemes
- Reviewing and developing policies, procedures and ways of working
Our network members are offered an hourly rate for involvement that matches the London Living Wage.
If you are interested in joining the network, please contact the Involvement Team via involvement@swlstg.nhs.uk. The team oversees the running of the network and helps match people to activities that best suit their interests and lived experience.
What our network members have said:
“It made me feel better about services, that what I said made a difference for other people who might need to go into hospital.”
“Being involved in the recruitment panels has really made a difference. The people on the panel really listened and for the first time since I became unwell, I felt validated. I am even thinking that returning to work may now be a reality.”
“I felt I was a part of something and that there was a place for me somewhere. I knew that all I needed to do was engage.”
Another way to get involved is by joining our Patient Quality Forum or Carer’s Friends and Family Reference Group.
Patient Quality Forum
The Patient Quality Forum (PQF) was launched in December 2015 to provide us with a cross-section of views about quality and the experience of our services from the people who use them. Members of the PQF live in the five boroughs we cover and meet bi-monthly to consider quality and patient experience.
Carers Friends and Families Reference group (CFFRG)
This long-standing group meets every other month to consider quality and patient and carer experience. Organisations that support local carers, including the five carers centres, are also represented at the meetings.
To find out more, please contact involvement@swlstg.nhs.uk.